3 Reasons to Connect With Like-Minded Entrepreneurs

February 23, 2017

10:30 am

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Inspiration, passion and confidence are just a few of the benefits you stand to gain from making meaningful connections with like-minded individuals. The old proverb, “Show me your friends and I’ll tell you who you are,” translates into surrounding yourself with the right people.

As a startup founder, surrounding yourself with like-minded entrepreneurs can have a major impact on your own success and that of your business. Unfortunately, entrepreneurs often fail to seek out others for a variety of reasons, including fear, inadequacy, or exhaustion. Associating yourself with other successful entrepreneurs goes a long way. Here’s what you can stand to gain by proactively seeking out other entrepreneurs:

Inspiration

Spending time with like-minded entrepreneurs has a direct impact on your mindset. By seeking out other business owners and entrepreneurs like yourself, regardless of what industry or market they happen to be in, you’ll get fired up about being an entrepreneur. And if you see them succeed in their passion, your passion will be fueled even more.

Connections

If you think about big-name stars, they usually talk about the day they got their “big break.” For entrepreneurs and young business owners, this “big break” is about making the right connections. Spending time with other entrepreneurs opens the door to connecting with even more influential people and getting your name out there. It can also lead to business referrals or joint business ventures.

Being supportive and lending a helping hand is key to showing value to fellow entrepreneurs. You won’t be handed a business referral or an opportunity by pestering people. They must feel like you are ready to help them before they’ll think of you when they meet someone that needs your product or service.

Education

If you’re engaging with entrepreneurs, you will learn from them at a much faster rate than you would learn on your own. The typical entrepreneur learns by trial and error. Failing is a normal process of learning how to do something better. But learning about it from someone who’s been there can save you time and money in the long run. The value of shortening your learning curve is huge.

Making connections with other entrepreneurs can be a challenge. Busy schedules and hectic lifestyles don’t make it easy to connect. However, the value of making those connections and nurturing those relationships is priceless. Go out of your way to seek like-minded entrepreneurs and you’ll be surprised at how much you can gain.

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Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world's most promising young entrepreneurs. YEC members generate billions of dollars in revenue and have created tens of thousands of jobs.